A Fairytale
by QIAOGURL4146
Summary: It's Back! Thanks to a few people, I started it up again! Xiao Qiao wants to admit her feelings, but can't because of this new problem, which also makes Da question her marriage to Ce. DQ&SC XQ
1. Chapter 1

I don't own DW, I just play the games.

A Fairytale

No summarizing, just a Ce/Da fic!

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The ball was boring to Sun Ce as usual. Sure it was his birthday ball, but did

it have to be that boring?

"Sun Ce, are you enjoying yourself?" asked Zhou Yu

"Yea!" lied Ce

"Good, because your father has a lovely gift for you."

"Oh great, another gift!" Ce replied sarcastically.

"You're not really enjoying yourself, are you?"

"No."

"Well that will all change when you see her,er, it" Zhou Yu corrected himself, but Ce wasn't listening anyway.

"Ce!" called Lord Sun Jian. "There's someone I want you to meet."

He moved out of the way so Sun Ce could see who it was. When he saw her, he thought he was dreaming. Standing in front of him was the most beautiful thing in China. She was wearing a red ball dress with gold trimmings and her hair down which went all the way down to her waist. She was holding a small red fan which matched the dress she was wearing. Her eyes were some of the bluest he'd ever seen which, in his opinion, accented her black hair. Everything about her was mesmerizing.

"Sun Ce, this is Da Qiao, Da Qiao, this is my son Sun Ce." Sun Jian said, introducing them.

"Nice to meet you Lord Sun Ce." Da Qiao said slipping into a low curtsey.

"P-Pleasure's all mine." Ce managed to spit out.

"We'll leave you two alone. There are some matters to be taken care of." Sun Jian said as he and Zhou Yu walked away.

Da Qiao looked at Sun Ce, "I'm glad to finally meet you. You're father talked about you all night. Now do I call you Lord Sun Ce or the Young Conquer?" she asked looking at him.

"How about just Ce?" He suggested.

"What ever pleases you my lord." She replied.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked, extending his arm to her.

"I would be glad to."

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"You're father told me some of the things about how you got the name Little Conquer, but not all." Da Qiao said while they were dancing. "Would you care to tell me them?"

Sun Ce told her what his father left off. When he told her how Gan Ning got drunk and fell off the ship, she laughed and commented how her little sister fell out of a tree chasing a butterfly.

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Sun Ce was crowed by tons of people, but he could still see Da Qiao from across the room. She was talking to some of the ladies, and looked like she was having fun. Every now and then though, she would glance towards

Sun Ce's way and they would both look away from each other embarrassed.

He looked to see if she was still over there, but saw that she was slipping out towards the fountain. He decided to follow her out.

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Da Qiao looked at the fountain. Everything about it was beautiful. She wished Xiao Qiao was there with her. When Lord Sun Jian requested her presence, she thought Xiao could come too. But her father said that if she went alone, she would have better chances.

"_Better chances for what?" she thought_.

Her thoughts were interrupted by someone talking to her. She turned around to see Sun Ce standing there.

"I beg your pardon?" She said.

"I asked what you were doing out here." He said.

"Oh, I was just thinking."

"About what?" he asked.

"My sister." she said looking down.

Sun Ce noticed she was sad and changed the subject. "What do you think about the fountain?"

"It's very beautiful." She said admiring the carvings on the sides.

"My great-grandfather built it very long ago." he said looking at her while she sat on the side.

"You're great-grandfather had very good taste."

"Thank you."

"How old are you turning today?" she asked admiring his handsome face.

"25." He replied sitting next to her. "Can I be honest with you?"

She nodded while looking at her fan.

"You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen! And I can't help but stare at you like if I take my eyes off you, I'll never see you again." He said getting up and pacing in front of her. He looked at her and saw a tear falling down her perfect cheek.

"That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me before." She said as he wiped the tear away.

"But it's the truth." he said leaning towards her.

"Da Qiao!" Sun Jian called to her from the doorway, "Your father wants you back by midnight, so you better get going."

"_Darn it!" Sun Ce thought._

"I better get going." Da Qiao said.

"Can I escort you to your carriage?"

"Of course." She replied smiling and taking his hand.

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"Well, this is it." she said pointing to a big/beautiful carriage.

"Well, goodbye." He said taking her hand and kissing it.

"Sun Ce,"

"Yes?" He asked eagerly.

She pulled his face to hers, and kissed his cheek. "Happy Birthday." She said as she quickly got into the carriage. The carriage took off, but Sun Ce was so surprised he didn't notice it.

He went inside the ball and started looking at it in a different way.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 A Fairytale

Once again I don't own DW, I play the games.

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Sun Ce looked out his window. He didn't sleep very well last night. All of his thoughts were on one dark haired beauty.

"Sun Ce," called a familiar voice. "Lord Sun Jian wants to see you in the stables."

Sun Ce turned around to see Zhou Yu at the doorway. "Did he say why?" Ce asked.

"He has another present for you. Come. It's brilliant!" Said Zhou Yu, moving out of the doorway.

"I don't think he can top what he gave me last night!" said Ce referring to Da Qiao.

"Well, no, but you needed this."

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Da Qiao looked at herself on the mirror. She put a veil in her hair and was out the door.

She went to the breakfast table and kissed her father's cheek. "Good morning!" she said to him. "And how are you sister?" she asked Xiao Qiao who looked like she was ready to fall asleep in her breakfast.

"Why do you have to be such a morning person!?" Xiao asked while a servant put a plate in front of Da Qiao.

"Father," Da said, getting the attention of her father from the newspaper. "do you mind if I go horse ridding today?"

"No, not at all." Her father said looking at the paper again.

"Do you want to go Xiao?"

"No…" Xiao grumbled before falling asleep, causing her to fall head first in her breakfast.

Da and her father looked at each other a moment before bursting out laughing and telling a maid to clean her up and put her to bed.

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Da ran to the stables thinking about Sun Ce. She couldn't believe what she did last night. Kissing him on the cheek and taking off. That wasn't lady-like of her! Then she started to realize that it didn't matter. Her father wouldn't know what happened, so what was she to worry about?

Da asked the stable man to fetch her horse, Sady. The stable man, Petey, was one of Da's most trusted friends. Xiao was her first of course.

"She's all ready for you." Said Petey pulling Sady out of the stable.

"Thank you Petey, I don't know what I'd do without you!"

"I do," Petey said smiling. "You'd get your own horse!" he replied before laughing.

Da smiled and got on Sandy then took off towards the woods thinking about Sun Ce and what he was doing right now.

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"Pop!" Ce called from the outside of the stables looking for Sun Jian.

"Wait right there, son!" Sun Jian called from the stable opening. Then, he called the stable man to bring him out. As Sun Jian stepped back, a big white Stallion came out. It had a black patch on his forehead shaped like a lightning strike. It was a very strong and looked like it could easily out run any horse in the stable.

"What do you think?" Sun Jian asked.

"He's very strong, I'll give you that!" Ce said before going towards him.

"Um, Ce…" Sun Jian said stopping Ce "he hasn't been broken yet." He said.

"We can change that!" Ce said walking towards him.

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Da felt like she had been running for what felt like hours. She stopped at a small spring and let her horse drink. She was about to get off when she realized that something was moving at her feet. She gasped when she realized it was a rattle snake.

Sady, being very scared of snakes, took off when she saw what her master gasped at.

"SADY!!!!!!!!!!!" called Da holding on for dear life. "HELPPPPPPPPP!!!!!" she cried.

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Ce was just about to get on his horse, which he called Lightning, when he and Sun Jian heard a cry for help. On instinct he jumped on Lightning and took off for the S.O.S call.

Lighting didn't even flinch; he went to the damsel in distress.

Ce saw a horse running at full speed with someone holding on for dear life. He took off like a rocket through the trees, trying to get to the poor girl. His temperature rose when he realized who it was. This only made him want to get to her faster.

"Come on Lightning, let's go get'em." He shouted. His horse took off faster than Ce imagined he would.

Just a couple more feet...

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"_I'm on a killer horse!!!!"_ Da thought._ "I'm gonna die!"_

She thought of calling for help, but what good would that do?

"_I'M GONNA DIE!" she thought._

Just then, someone grabbed the reigns.

"Whoa girl, whoa." She heard a familiar voice say. She looked up into the handsome face of Sun Ce.

Sady calmed down after a bit.

Da got off her horse and so did Ce. She walked over to him and kissed him on both cheeks

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she said while kissing him on both cheeks.

"Aww, it was nothing." he said scratching his head and blushing.

"But it was something. There must be some way I can repay you!"

"Well, you can come to lunch." He said looking at her hopefully.

"Deal!" she said as they made their way with their horses. "but I can think of another way to thank you." She said walking.

"Really, what's that?" he asked.

She turned around and pulled his face to hers…

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Please read and review if you want to know what happens next!

QIAOGURL4146


	3. Chapter 3

Once again, again, I don't own DW.

A Fairytale

Chapter 3

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Sun Ce was shocked. He didn't know what to do.

She, the most beautiful thing he's ever seen, was coming towards him.

Three more steps…

Two more steps…

One more step...

She was right in front of him now. Ce felt his temperature rise once again. This would be the first time that he would kiss a girl he actually liked.

She put her hands behind his neck so she could reach him. The moment that their lips touched, Ce let go of the reigns of Lightening and wrapped his arms around her waist. Her lips were as soft as he thought they would be. Now he wasn't shocked, it was like he knew exactly what to do, and when to do it.

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Da closed her eyes and surrendered to his embrace. He felt so right to her. The way his lips felt. The way his arms were around her, or just how he was making her feel right now was awesome.

She could feel him relax under her touch. Everything seemed to float away. She didn't care what Xiao was doing, or her father.

Father…

She pulled away from him, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." She said looking down.

"No, no. You can do that ant time you need to. Or, um, well, what I meant to say was, well."

Da could see he was stumbling with his words. She couldn't help but laugh!

"Are you laughing at me?" he asked looking at her smiling.

"No, of course not!" she said regaining her posture.

"Why did you pull away?" he asked

"It's complicated."

"You're father, right?" he said almost reading her mind.

She nodded as she took the reigns of her horse.

"Now what's this you said about lunch?" she asked trying to change the subject.

"Oh, so you'll come?" he asked hopefully.

"Sure." She said walking towards the palace.

"Da, I'm sorry if I offended you." He said looking at her.

"Oh Ce, you didn't offend me!" she said quickly. "I loved your kiss!" She said without thinking.

"Oh really, well then." He took her by the hand and pulled her close. She giggled and wrapped her hands around his neck. He pulled her closer and kissed her again. This time more deeply.

She tried with every fiber in her being not to think about her father in a moment like this, but she couldn't control her brain.

She pulled away once more.

"Ce, I'm sorry, I can't!" she cried.

"Hey, hey." Ce hugged her and soothed her. "it's not your fault."

"Why does he have to follow me?" she asked.

"It's just a thing fathers do." he said.

"I love you Ce." She said , but this time she meant it.

"I love you too Da." He said as he hugged her.

"Now how about that lunch?" he asked. "My treat!"

"Okay." She said. "Only if it's not chicken."

"Ce,' she said getting his attention. "My father is always telling me not to get serious with a guy because he would only want one thing from me."

"Da, do you think for one second that I would take advantage of you?"

"No!" she said. "Never!"

"Alright then, what are you worried about?"

"Just what my father would say." She said looking down.

"What's the worst he could do?" He asked looking from the trail they were walking on to her.

"He could banish me and say I'm not his daughter." She said looking down.

"Well, you'll always have a home here!" he said happily.

She looked at him and smiled "could my little sister come too?"

"Of course!" he said. "The more the merrier!"

"Ce…" Da got his attention and moved closer to him.

"wanna try it again?"

"I thought you'd never ask!" he pulled her into a loving kiss where the only the need to breathe pulled them apart.

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DOWN BELOW

Sun Jian looked at Sun Ce. He watched as Ce kissed Da Qiao, but he wasn't the only one. When he turned around, there was Gan Ning, Lu Xun, Zhou Yu, Sun Quan, Sun Shang Xiang, and Zhou Tai.

"There's nothing to see here! Go to your chambers!"

"Sort of gives you an idea, doesn't it Shang Xiang." Gan Ning said to Sun Shang Xiang. She, in return, punched him in his mouth. Then started chasing him with her charams. He took off running for dear life.

Whelp, there you go! I'm off to the movies with my boyfriend!

PLEASE R&R!!!!!!


	4. Chapter 4

A Fairytale

Chapter 4

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THREE DAYS LATER…

"Father," Da said running from the stairway, "I'm going horse ridding!" Da turned around to Xiao, "Wanna come too?"

"Sure!" said Xiao ready to get out of the house.

"Now wait just a minute," Said their father. "Da, this is the fourth day in a row you've been going ridding. Is there a reason?"

Da looked at Xiao, "What!" Xiao said to her father, "Two girls can't go ridding without being interrogated?!" Xiao said turning the conversation in another direction. Something she was very good at.

"No," their father said protesting, "It's just that I want to know where you go Da."

Xiao looked at Da; Da was the only one who can answer this question. "Well, it's different everyday, Father. Sometimes I go to the river, and sometimes I just wonder." She said lying. The last few days she was at the Wu palace spending time with Ce.

"Okay." Their father said convinced.

Da looked at Xiao, and they both went out the door.

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Qiao Xuan looked at the picture of his late wife sitting on the mantel above the fireplace.

"Hu Rum!" he yelled calling for his maid.

"Yes, my lord?" said a worker coming from a nearby hallway bowing.

"Follow my daughters. Tell me where exactly where they go. If they're with a man, especially Da, I want to know who and why! " said Qiao Xuan.

"Yes my lord. Right away, sir." The house maid said before scurrying away to do his duties.

Qiao Xuan looked at his wife's picture again. He signed and walked away.

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"Da, what's going on?" Xiao asked as soon as they were a safe distance from the house.

"Xiao, do you remember when I was telling you about a guy from the ball?" Da asked.

"Yea, his name was Sun Ce, right? What's he got to do with it?"

"Well Xiao, I'm in love with him!" Da said looking at Xiao, scared of her reaction.

"Really?!" Xiao said her eyes getting big. Da nodded looking at the reigns of her horse.

"That's great!!!!" Xiao said giving Da a bear hug.

"Wow Xiao! I thought you'd be mad!" Da said relieved.

"Now why in your big head would you think I'd be mad?!" Xiao asked bewildered.

"I don't know. It's just when I think Father would say I get scared." Da confessed.

"Don't worry about dad." Xiao said swooshing her hand. "You love him, right?"

Da nodded.

"And he's good to you, right?"

Da nodded again.

"THEN WHY DO YOU CARE ABOUT DAD?!!!" Xiao said with her hands going everywhere.

"I just want his blessing." Da said looking down.

"Oh." Xiao said. "Think of what Mom would say if she were here. She would be happy for you! Her opinion was the only one that mattered in you life! You don't need any blessing from _dad. _ Today, Da, all the candles in the chapel burn for you!"

Da gave Xiao a big hug for cheering her up. Then, she quickly grabbed the reigns of her horse to keep from falling off.

"I'm glad that you feel that way, because I want you to meet him. And, I want your honest opinion about him!" Da said smiling.

"Okay! If he's not nice to you, I'll beat him up!" Xiao said.

Da laughed at her and they headed for the Wu palace.

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"Come on Zhou Yu! You have to come meet her!" Ce said running after Yu while he went to another shelf looking for a book.

"I can't Ce! I have paper work to do." Yu said picking a book off the shelf.

"You can do it later, but we have to go now because we'll be late."

"Correction, you'll be late." Yu said with his nose in the book.

"Don't make me sing Zhou. Okay, here we go! Row, Row, Row, Your… _OOF!!_ " Yu smashed the book in Ce's face.

"I'll go if you stop singing!" Yu said walking towards the door.

"YES!" Ce said has he threw his hands in the air. "You won't be sorry!" Ce said rushing after Yu.

"He said eleven o'clock" Da said pacing in front of her horse.

"Are you sure that's what he said?" Xiao asked the worried Da.

"Of course!" Da said looking at Xiao.

"Hello beautiful!" Xiao heard someone say in the distance. She saw Da light up in an instant.

"About time!" Da said hugging the man when he got off his horse.

"_This must be the guy Da was talking about." _Xiao thought.

"Xiao," Da said looking at Xiao, "This is Sun Ce. Ce, this is my little sister, Xiao."

"Nice to meet you, Lady Xiao." He said shaking her hand.

"Da, Xiao, this is my sworn brother Zhou Yu." Ce said introducing them.

"Pleasure to meet you, Lord Zhou Yu." Da said slipping into a low curtsey.

"Pleasure's all mine." He said taking Da's hand and kissing it. Although he was kissing Da's hand, his eyes were locked on Xiao. He walked over to her while Ce and Da talked.

"Hey." Xiao said as Yu approached her.

"Hello." He said sitting by her on a long log.

"You are the other beautiful Qiao girl?" he asked her.

"Well, I don't think I'm as pretty as Da, but I am the other Qiao." She said looking at him.

"Hey, Isn't that Hu Rum, Xiao?" Da asked Xiao.

Xiao looked at where Da was pointing, sure enough, there was Hu Rum. "Yea that's him!"

"This is Dad's doing, he probably told him to follow us to see where we go!" Da said looking at Ce.

"I've got an idea." he said looking at Yu. "You and Lady Xiao get on her and Da's horses and go towards the river while we'll head east on mine and Zhou Yu's horse. Maybe he'll think that Zhou Yu is you and go after them."

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Hu Rum looked as Da got on a horse and ran off. He didn't see Xiao due to the trees in his way. He decided to head back to the mansion and tell his master what he saw. He knew his lord wouldn't be very happy about this.

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Da and Xiao came home expecting a warm welcome home, but…

"Xiao go to your room." Their father said to Xiao.

"Me and Da need to have a talk." He said looking at Da hard.

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Well if you want to know what happens next, you'll have to review!!! ;-)


	5. Chapter 5

"How could you do something like this, Da Qiao?! I expected this was happening when

you went ridding for the fourth day in a row." said Da's father, pacing in front of her.

"You were the smart one! You knew all about boys and their hunger for beautiful

women! You were supposed to know better! Not go and hang out with some impudent

whelp that you just met!" he said sitting on front of her.

"Father!" she protested, "You don't even know who you're talking about!"

"Well you really don't know the person if you've only know him for two days, now do

you?" he asked looking at her accusingly.

"Father, you know I wouldn't do anything stupid! I'm not a little girl that they, or he, can

take advantage of !" she protested looking up at him.

"Trust me Da, I know what boys want. All they want is to take something away from

you. Something you can never get back! I know because I was a boy once! You think I

tell you these things so that I can make money off of you? No! I tell them to you because

I love you and I want you to be happy! But that doesn't mean go and marry the first boy

you come to." He said looking at her. "There are other fish in the sea, Da."

"Father," Da said looking up at him, "I understand why you tell me these things, but are

you telling me this because you don't want people to take advantage of me, or because

you don't want me to marry someone like you?" she asked looking into his eyes.

He was silent for a minute, "Go to your room." He said looking at her with that hard

gleam in his eye.

Da got up, but she knew before she left the study to go to her big room, that she would

have to tell him who she was with.

"Father," she said turning around, "I was with Lord Sun Ce the last few days. If it makes

you feel any better." She said before leaving the room.

As soon as she left, Qiao Xuan looked at the painting of his wife, and for the first time

that day, he smiled.

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Da rose from her bed where she had stayed for the last hour wondering if her father was

still mad at her for what she'd said. She didn't want her father mad at her, he just put it in

a way that seemed to reflect on him.

Da put her hair up into two different long pony-tails and put on a dress

that was pink and reflected some red. (A.K.A DW4 last outfit.) She put some of her shoes

on and went to the banister overlooking the stairs.

When she went, she was surprised to see that her father wasn't alone in the dinning

hall like she had expected him to be. She could hear the whispers of familiar voices and

decided to take a look.

"_Just one look wouldn't hurt." She thought._

She eased on to the edge of the doorway. When she saw who was there, she almost

screamed. There was Sun Ce, Zhou Yu, Lord Sun Jian, Xiao Qiao, and her Father

discussing something in hushed voices.

"You did ask Da about this, didn't you Father?" Xiao asked Qiao Xuan.

"Ask me about what?" Da interrupted the meeting.

"Da!" Qiao Xuan jumped up. "We were just saying if you, er, …"

"You were talking about me and I want to know why!" She exclaimed to everyone in the

room.

There was a moment of pure, eerie, silence as Da's temper rose.

"If no one can provide me with a decent answer, then it must've been really serious since

no one wants to tell me." Da said looking at all of the people in the hall. No one was

speaking up. Even Xiao was quiet. Da finally got enough of the fact no one was talking,

and the more she thought about them talking about her the madder she got. She turned on

her heals and went out the door.

"How dare they speak of me in my absence!" she thought out loud. "It's just not right!"

she got on her horse and took off to the village.

The village was what Da needed: a peaceful place to relax and think.

She was still mad at the fact they were talking about her.

"_And they still are!" she thought as she moved through the village with Sady._

She could feel her temper rise again. What were they talking about that was so

important that they couldn't tell her; even if it was about her well-being?! She kept

thinking over and over again about what in the world they could've talked about that they

wanted to hide it from her.

She got off Sady and walked with the reigns. Everything was quiet. It seemed as though the entire village knew the secret and didn't want to let her know. She stopped at the peak of the mountain after walking awhile. The peak allowed you to see the entire village from the top.

Da knew that someone was behind her. She could feel the vibrations from the bending wind. She turned around to see Sun Ce standing there. Without saying a word she turned around to get on Sady and ride away.

"Da, let me explain." He started.

"You had that chance Lord Sun Ce!" she said turning to him. "You and a couple others. All you did was stare like you could see right through me!"

"But we weren't doing anything that would, or should, hurt your feelings!"

"Then tell me what you were talking about! I think I have a right to know seeing as it was me who you were talking about!" she said, her temper rising again.

He looked at the ground, too ashamed to look at her.

"That's was I thought. You are just like my father!" she said, yelling now. "You think you have to protect me, you think I'm just so hopeless that you have to plan my future! Despite what you, or my father think, I can take care of myself! I decide what goes on in my life! No one gets to make up, or change my mind to fit their benefit! I run my life, and I plan my future! I know what's best for me! No one else!" she said as a tear ran down her pale cheeks. She was yelling as though he had just harassed her. She knew if she didn't get out of there, she would explode, and say something she didn't mean. She turned, jumped on Sady, and took off. She wasn't sure if where she was going, just that any where else was better! She took off, and didn't look back.

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Well there you go! R&R!

QIAOGURL4146


	6. Chapter 6

A Fairytale

Chapter Six

Yeah, yeah. I don't own DW or any of its characters.

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Xiao looked out the window of her room. Her room had a good view of the private gardens of their mansion. She loved the way the trees swayed back and fourth in the wind, and how the flowers always were in bloom, no matter what time of year. She thought of Da, and how mad she was when she left. She had only seen Da that mad once, and that was when some guy at the last ball they went to together told Da that he wanted to see her in private sometime. Da then told the guy that she wasn't a concubine, and didn't see guys in private. Today was worse for some odd reason. If Da only knew what they were talking about.

The mansion seemed empty without Da there. Xiao signed again. She couldn't figure out what Da got so mad about. She should've said something when Da asked for an explanation. Ce went out to find her, but Xiao could only guess how that turned out. She hated it when her sister got mad. Da was always taught to hold her tongue, but no one could stop her words when she got mad. Xiao looked at the trees that mere moments ago brought her joy.

She decided to go downstairs with the men. She tip-toed down the stairs, and entered the dinning room.

"Xiao!" said her father, "have you seen any sigh of your sister?" he asked. Xiao could tell he was worried. She had become quite skilled at reading her father's emotions.

"No." she said as she sat down right next to Zhou Yu. The men started talking about what to do next.

"Well," said Zhou Yu standing up. "I think I'll take a walk. Would you care to join me?" he asked giving a hand to Xiao.

"Sure!" she said standing up and taking Zhou Yu's hand.

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"Are you worried?" Zhou Yu asked Xiao as soon as they were outside.

"Very much!" Xiao said looking at him. "I just don't see why she acted the way she did." Xiao confessed. She was so confused at the moment.

"Maybe because she was confused." Zhou said looking at her.

"I hope so." Xiao said being cheery all the sudden.

Zhou Yu smiled. He could tell that she acted like this often.

"Wanna go play in the gardens?" she asked jumping in front of him.

"It would be my pleasure." He said as she took him by the hand and led the way there.

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Da paced in front of the empty building. She couldn't believe what she said to Ce! She wanted to run and never show her face again!

"Please, Mother." She said to the heavens. "Please let me see him again! Please don't let him hate me!" She looked around feeling as if she wasn't the only one there. Something in the atmosphere told her she wasn't alone. She looked around feeling like she was being watched. She heard galloping in the distance. She quickly spun around to see Ce on a horse coming towards her. She looked relieved and surprised at the turn of events. She was glad it wasn't a robber. Sure, she had her fans, but she was still unsure of herself.

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Ce got off his horse and walked towards Da. He was relieved to find her. He had this weird feeling in his gut.

"Da," he started, "I'm probably the last person you want to see…" he said walking towards her.

"No, no. I acted way out of line back there. I instigated when I shouldn't have." She said hating the way he was blaming himself.

"No, you had a right. We were talking about you, and we should have included you in the conversation." He said still moving towards her.

"No, everyone has a right to their...AHHH" Da screamed as an arrow came zipping between her and Ce.

"Da Qiao!" Ce called out grabbing Da and ducking into the building.

"Who is that?" Da asked then suddenly realized that he was on top of her and quickly blushed.

"I don't know." Ce said obviously not noticing her blushing or why she was. The arrows came in through the open windows of the shack. Ce covered Da while they came through. This would explain his feelings he had earlier.

"Ce," Sun Ce heard her say. He looked down at her, "if we die, I'm really sorry!" she said above the whistles of the eerie arrows.

He reached down and took her hand, "We're not dieing." He said as he planted a kiss on her cherry red lips. The arrows came through like rain, and hit the floor with a sickening thud. Ce noticed Da was looking worried. He looked at the angel in his arms. She had her eyes locked on the impounding arrows.

"Da," he said looking at her, "we were talking about something important, but I have to ask you, or actually tell you, this first." He said staring deep into her eyes. "Ever since I met this angel, I can't sleep, can't eat, or even breathe without her entering my thoughts." He said realizing she was confused. "This angel is the girl who I want to spend the rest of my life with. The one who, when I become emperor, I want by my side. The one I want to make children with." He said noticing that she finally understood, and her eyes were welling up with tears. "Da," he said looking deep into her eyes once more, "all you have to do to make my dream a reality, is say you'll be my wife."

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Da went numb all over. She couldn't hear the arrows anymore although they fell all around her. She felt a tear fall from her cheek, and hit the floor. She couldn't think clearly with all that was happening.

"Da," she heard him say. She looked at him, "I want you and only you as my empress. No one else." He said looking into her eyes.

Da Qiao looked into his eyes and smiled, "Of course I'll be your wife." she said. Ce smiled the biggest smile that Da Qiao had ever seen, and kissed her deeply. After the kiss was over, Ce jumped up,

"Where are you going?" Da asked him standing up and getting out of the way of the arrows.

"I think I need to protect my beautiful new fiancé." He said before he pulled out his tonfas, kissed her, and headed out the door dogging tons of arrows. Da headed out the door after all the archers had all of their attention on Ce. She looked for Sady who was carrying her fans. She couldn't whistle because the archers would look at her. She heard someone come up behind her and she turned around quickly. There was the most ugliest mad she'd ever seen! He had a sword, but that wasn't what repulsed Da the most, the man had the worst teeth she'd seen since she went to a roadhouse one time.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes!" he said spitting spit (or at least that's what Da hoped it was!). He swung his sword in a wide arc, and Da ducked to avoid it and took off running. "Get back here!" the man yelled at the top of his lungs. Da jumped over a huge log and heard something galloping behind her. She turned around and saw Sady then let out a long sign of relief. She jumped on Sady and ran past the rotten teeth guy then jumped right on unsuspecting archers. She quickly jumped off Sady, and grabbed her fans ready for the incoming battle.

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Zhou Yu laughed as Xiao climbed the tree and threw down some peaches that he easily caught.

"Is that enough?" Xiao asked calling down to Yu.

"I'd say so. There's four here so we each could have second helpings." He said as Xiao was looking down at him. She tried to climb down, but quickly got scared of the height.

"Uh… Zhou." She said. Zhou Yu turned around when he heard the fear in her voice. "I'm scared." She said when he got around to her.

He quickly put the peaches down and looked at her, "Jump, I'll catch you" he said holding his arms out.

"What if I'm too heavy?" she asked still holding on to dear life.

"I assure you, you aren't that heavy." He said smiling.

"Sure, that's what you say now, but what about when you fall from my weight?" she asked looking at him.

"Just jump!" Yu said smiling.

"OK, here it goes!" she said before letting go. She fell right into his arms without even a thud or him falling. They looked at each other for a moment before Xiao looked away embarrassed. Zhou quickly put her down, and picked up the peaches. He handed one over to Xiao who quickly took it, and bit into it. He took a bite and quickly noticed how juicy they were. He looked at a distant flower then at Xiao. Though the flower was beautiful, it didn't even come close to Xiao's beauty. He was captured by the way she moved, and how the sun reflected her hair color, and it was if even the sun couldn't get enough of her.

"What 'cha thinkin'?" She asked him noticing he was staring into outer space.

"Nothing." He said coming down to earth again.

"Can I show you the place where me n' Da train?" she asked eagerly.

"You train?" he asked astonished.

"All the time!" she said smiling.

"Sure you can show me." He said while she held out her hand with the peach in it, and a yellow bird came and scooped it up. She smiled at Zhou Yu, "The birds like the peaches too!" she said while she took his hand and led him to the sparring grounds leaving the other two peaches on the ground for the birds to eat.

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Ce noticed Da jumping off of her horse and quickly ran to her thinking she couldn't fight. He was stunned out of his mind when she tackled into the archers. She then quickly did a series of moves which she ended with a front flip forward while she threw her fans out and killed most of the archers. A man with a sword and really rotten teeth came at her and said she'd met her maker. She quickly knocked the sword out of his hands and within two swipes, killed the man completely.

"That's gotta hurt!" she cried with a smile. She then finished the rest of the archers with a fireball the she'd made. She turned around and stopped in her tracks when she noticed the look on Ce's face.

"You fight?" he asked her.

"Yes. Does that displease you?" she asked scared of his answer.

"NO!" Ce said jumping. "That's awesome!" he said as he scooped her up. She laughed as he put her down.

"Do you know who they are?" she asked.

"No." Ce said looking at them. "They were probably robbers." He said looking at them. They didn't have any identifying symbols on them so it was hard to tell exactly where they were from. Ce let his tonfas rest at his sides while he scanned over them. There wasn't any way to tell who they worked for either.

Sun Ce looked at Da then started looking for his horse. He put his lips together and whistled. His horse came around shortly from behind the arrow filled building.

"Wanna ride?" Ce asked Da.

"I would, but I have my own horse." Da said smiling. Sady walked up to Da and let her hop on.

"Where are we going?" Da asked Ce.

"To our fathers to tell them the good news!" Ce said before leaning over to kiss her lightly.

"I don't know, Ce" She said looking at the ground as they started walking. "I spoke out of hand back there. I've embarrassed myself deeply." Da turned crimson.

"Well Da," he said looking at her, "you had a right. We were talking about you and me getting married. We came over there to make sure you weren't in trouble when your father said he had a proposal for us. When he said he'd gladly let me have your hand in marriage, I almost shot through the roof!" he said smiling. "It was like a dream come true! I wanted to ask your father, but didn't know how. Then when he said that, I… I couldn't breathe." He looked at her, "I had this dream the night before, that you and me ruled Jiang Dong, and I wanted for that dream to come true so bad!" he said looking at the road again shaking his head.

Da could feel tears stinging her eyes once again. Ce motioned her to come on to his horse. She didn't deny, and tied Sady to his horse before sitting in front of him on his horse.

He put his chin on her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Do you really want this Da?"

"More than anything!" she said while she kissed his cheek.

"Okay! Let's go tell everyone the good news!"

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Xiao Qiao opened the doors to the sparring grounds, and ran in.

"This is it!" she screaming while turning to him.

Zhou Yu looked around. It was quite nice. It had a good weapon selection, and the ground was flat like it was flooring. It was pretty big too. Just when he was about to walk around, Xiao's maid ran in, bowed, and told them that Lady Da Qiao and Lord Sun Ce had just arrived and wished for their presence in the dinning hall. Zhou Yu held his hand out to Xiao Qiao and escorted her to the dinning room.

They entered and sat down.

"They're here now tell us the good news!" Sun Jian said ready to jump out of his seat with excitement.

"Well, Yu, Xiao Qiao, Pop, Lord Xuan," Ce started then looked at Da who was standing beside him. He put his arm around her, "Da's agreed to be my wife!" Ce said before Sun Jian jumped out of his chair and hugged Da. "He'll be a handful!" he said in her ear. The rest of the got up and hugged them, but when Xiao and Da hugged, the tears started to fall. They were whispering/crying/giggling!

"Oh my god," Xiao said, "my sis is goin' to have a wedding!" she said jumping up and down.

"We need to celebrate with the entire country! We'll have a grand party!" Sun Jian said as he sat down and started to make party arrangements with Qiao Xuan.

"Good luck, my brother." Zhou Yu said shaking Ce's hand.

"Well you aren't so innocent!" Ce said motioning towards Xiao.

Zhou Yu cleared his throat, "We're just friends!"

"We'll go with that." Ce said smiling at Zhou Yu.

Ce and Da looked at each other.

"_Here is where it all begins!" Da said in her mind._

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Okay! I finished it! I made this one longer, and added some Xiao/Zhou. So PLEASE R&R!!!!


	7. Chapter 7

A Fairytale

Chapter 7

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Cao Cao smiled as his son finished his poem.

"Well done, my son." He said as he got off his royal throne, and took the parchment out of his son's hands. "I would like for this to be in my room." He said to a nearby maid as she took it out of his hands.

"My lord," said Xiahou Xuan from the shadows of the corner. "You need a wife, why not take the Qiaos?"

"Because the oldest one is engaged to Lord Sun Ce of Wu." Xiahou Dun said sitting at a table.

"This is all the more reason to get them!" Sima Yi said coming out of nowhere.

"Go on Sima Yi." Cao Cao ordered.

"Sun Ce is the future of Wu, if we take his fiancé away from him, and he cannot have a son, in return, there is no future for Wu! No heir to claim the throne. The kingdom of Wu will parish!" he said smiling.

Cao Cao pondered this for a moment, "Very well, bring me Da Qiao! I want her sister as well. Xuan, Dun," he said getting their attention. "You can send out a fleet of you best men and bring them to me!" Cao Cao ordered before retiring to his quarters.

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Da Qiao inhaled Ce's cologne as she lay on his chest. The last two weeks have gone by so fast. Da and Xiao moved into the beautiful Wu palace, and were enjoying every minute of their new home. Da and Ce especially were enjoying the time together, and the blooming relationship of Xiao Qiao and Zhou Yu.

Da snuggled closer to Ce. They were outside on the top of a very small hill. Ce had come to Da's chambers earlier that morning to ask if she wanted a tour of the country. She agreed of course. He took her to see all the sites of the village, then to a river, where they were now. Da was thinking about all the wedding preparations she would have to be doing with Xiao Qiao and Ce's mom, Lady Wu, as soon as she got back to the castle when she heard a noise behind her and quickly turned around to see Sady and Lightening prancing around.

"Scare you?" asked Ce opening his eyes and looking at her.

"Sort of." She said blushing and sitting up.

He laughed and sat up with her then pulled her close, "don't worry Da, I won't let anything happen to you."

"I know my lord." She said before kissing him lightly.

He smiled and got up stretching. Then, he picked her up and headed towards the river. She laughed and told him he dare not throw her into the it. He set her down at the edge and bent down to touch the water.

"I used to swim here every summer." He said smiling at her.

"What made you stop?" she asked looking at the perfect blue water.

"It's spring, not summer." He said smiling at her.

She laughed when she caught on to what he said. He smiled then stood up.

"The water is warm." he said taking his shirt off.

Da stood up and watched as Ce stripped down to only a pair of boxers. He smiled at her, backed up a few steps, and then swan dived into the warm water.

Da laughed and shielded herself from the spraying water. She knelt beside the water as the figure of her fiancé appeared.

"Come on in!" he said smiling.

"Um…no."

"Why not? The water's perfect!"

"I'd rather stay dry." She said as he put his arms on the edge of the bank in front of her.

Ce looked at her, "Gimme your hand."

"Why?"

"I wanna hold it."

Da cautiously gave him her hand… then Ce pulled her into the water.

She rose up, drenching wet, and pointed a finger at him, "That was uncalled for! Now I'm drenching… DON"T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT! You know how your puppy dog eyes are!"

Ce laughed at her then pulled her close. Da quickly turned crimson and looked down at his abs. He pulled her chin up to where his eyes were locked on hers. He put his lips to hers for a brief moment before he almost forgot how to swim and quickly pulled away. He regained his composure and smiled at her, "I forgot how your touch makes me feel!" She quickly looked at the water while she made the blush in her cheeks go away.

He smiled then put her on his back and swan towards the bank.

As they reached it, Da jumped off Ce's back and climbed on the bank. Ce lay on his back and took a deep breath. He noticed that the sun was being blocked by something and opened his eyes. He gasped when he realized it was Da. Da had the sun all around her and she looked like an angel, but then again, Da always looked like an angel. Da leaned in and kissed him tenderly.

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"OH MY GOSH! This is so much fun!" Xiao Qiao said as Zhou Yu pushed her higher on the swing. They were in the private gardens, well, in one of the private gardens. Xiao had realized that the Wu Palace had many gardens. Some private, some public.

The last few weeks had been so fun for Xiao. Helping Da with wedding planning, meeting new people, and spending time with Zhou Yu was the best. She was so surprised when she found out where her chambers were. As if on coincidence, her chambers were right in front of Zhou's! Da's were right beside Ce's. Xiao couldn't be happier for Da. Ever since their mother died, Da only smiled when she was around Xiao, now Da smiled all the time!

"Higher Zhou, higher!" she said as Zhou Yu started to laugh. Xiao had wanted to get the right amount of air for when she jumped.

"I'm going to jump now Zhou so back up!" she said not wanting to hurt Zhou.

"One… Two…Three!" Xiao Qiao jumped out of the swing and landed badly. She gasped as she felt the pain in her knee rise.

"Xiao!" Zhou said dashing to her side. "Are you alright?"

"Yea." She said turning to where she was sitting on her butt.

"Where does it hurt?"

"On my knee." She said daring to take a look. She looked at her knee and saw blood rushing down her leg.

"Hold on just a second." He said as he tore a piece of his robe off. He put it on her leg and tied it on tight. Xiao watched him as he tied it, then when he was finished he asked if she thought if she could stand.

"I think so." Zhou helped her up. They both stood up and Xiao laughed as she almost fell. Luckily, Zhou was there to catch her. He straightened her and they both froze as their eyes met. Xiao got this weird feeling as he was looking at her. He was so close and was making her catch her breath. Zhou pulled her up to where she was standing on her own two feet. She realized that she had her arm around him and tried to take it off, but found she would lose her balance if she did.

She looked at her knee, then back at Zhou. His dark eyes were still locked on her.

"Maybe we should see a physician about your knee." He finally said.

"Um… maybe." She said looking down at her knee. Zhou Yu helped her sit on a rock that was perfectly located in the center of the garden.

"Does it hurt?" Zhou asked as he felt the wound.

"_Not anymore!" Xiao thought. _"No." she said looking at him.

"Are you sure? It looks like a nasty wound."

"I can't feel anything, actually."

"Then maybe we should get you to a doctor."

"Is it that bad?" Xiao asked getting worried.

"No, it is just losing blood. Let's get you to the doctor."

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"There we go!" the old doctor said as he bandaged the wound on Xiao's leg. "Should be better in no time!" he said with a smile. "Take the bandage off tomorrow morning, and don't go jumping out of any more swings Lady Qiao."

"Okay, I won't!" Xiao said when the doctor looked at her.

"I'll make sure she won't." Zhou Yu said as he helped Xiao off the bed.

As soon as they were outside, Zhou Yu began to speak. "I should've never let you jump out of that swing! If I had told you not to, you…"

"Oh that's crappy talk!" Xiao Qiao said interrupting. "You didn't know this was going to happen! And I hate the way that you're beating yourself up! Besides, I can walk." Xiao Qiao said as she let go of Zhou Yu and began walking on her own. "See? Gosh, I don't need to be protected all the time and…"

Zhou Yu smiled as he watched her complain and walk towards the palace by her own freewill.

"Are you comin'?" Xiao Qiao asked as she broke Zhou's train of thoughts.

"Yes." He said catching up to her.

"I'm hungry." She said looking at him while they walked.

"Good, it's almost dinner time."

"What's for dinner?"

"What ever the chefs cook."

"Oh, okay. Well, let's go!" she said as she grabbed his hand and took off for the palace.

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Da sat next to Ce as always at dinner. Xiao Qiao sat across from her, and Zhou across from Ce. Then Shang Xiang, Gan Ning, and Lu Xun. Da had Ce to her left then Sun Quan to her right. She could see Ling Tong and Huang Hai, but no one else because of Huang's size. The Qiaos got accepted into the household the first day they had come to the Sun manor. It was like one big family there, and they accepted the addition of the Qiaos.

Xiao looking at the English peas and gagged. She hated the peas with a burning passion! She looked at Da who had the attention of Ce then picked up a spoon and flicked a pea at Da. Da jumped as the pea hit her head.

"You okay?" Ce asked Da.

Da looked at Xiao then smiled, "Yes, of course." Ce continued eating; he hadn't known what had happened. Shang did though, and giggled.

"_She's not getting away with that!" _Da said as she too picked her spoon up, aimed, and hit Xiao Qiao square on her nose.

Xiao wiped the pea off, and flicked another one only it landed near Sun Jian, who was sitting at the head of the table with Lady Wu. No one noticed (except Shang who was watching every minute of it) so they all continued to eat.

Da flicked a pea at Xiao and it landed right in her potatoes. Xiao grunted then flicked a pea that went in Da's drink. Shang bit her tongue to keep laughter from escaping, but failed as she giggled a bit.

"You think this is funny?" Da mouthed to her. Shang nodded. In response, Da flicked two peas, one at Xiao, and then one at Shang. Shang's mouth dropped as the pea fell on her chicken. She flicked a pea at Da then grunted as it went over Da's head. Xiao Qiao tried but the pea headed straight for Sun Jian.

"There's a pea on the floor." Sun Jian said as he went to pick it up. As he did, Xiao's careless pea flew over his head. Xiao Qiao let out a breath as it did so. Shang giggled at Xiao and Xiao, in return, flicked potatoes at Shang. THE BIGGEST BATTLE IN THE HISTORY OF DINNERS HAD BEGUN!!!Xiao was flicking peas and potatoes as Da was flicking ice cubes from her spoiled drink. Shang was flicking pieces of her roll and some corn. This went on for about two minutes. Most of the people had begun to know what was going on except Sun Jian who was rambling to Lady Wu about how they were going to spend their anniversary. Just then, the worst thing happened, Da flicked an ice cube as Shang flicked a piece of roll that hit Xiao's pea which rebounded off of Da's ice cube and square into the face of Sun Jian.

Sun Jian wiped the pea off his face and faced the crowd. He then asked a question that shocked everyone: "Why did you have a little party without me?"

Every one of them was so shocked, that even Xiao forgot how to talk! Just when they thought the silence couldn't get anymore eerie, Sun Jian busted out laughing! He laughed until you could see tears fall from his eyes! Then Lady Wu followed by the rest of the Wu kingdom.

"You should've seen your faces!" Sun Jian said gasping for air. Everyone was relieved that his reaction was a pleasant one.

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Da Qiao went into the bathroom of her chambers and pulled the chopsticks out of her hair. It fell down in waves and she ran her hands through it. She pulled off her clothes slowly replaying the events of the day. She looked at the ring that Sun Ce had given her when she moved into the manor to "finalize their Engagement" he had said. Her lady's maid came in to give her a nightgown to slip over herself. She thanked her maid and excused her for the rest of the night.

Da slipped the gown on and walked slowly out the door. She was about to craw into her silk bed when she had the feeling she was being watched. She felt the breeze from her balcony doors, and turned around quickly. As the curtains fell, she finally realized why she had the feeling she was being watched…

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…spooky…

R&R


	8. Chapter 8

A Fairytale

Chapter 8

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As the curtains fell, a figure emerged. Da Qiao took a step back and looked closer at the black figure. It looked some what like Sun Ce, but not as built. The figure pulled out a sword and stepped into her room. She took a step back and cuffed her mouth. Her first instinct was to scream for her fiancé, but when she tried to scream, nothing came out.

The figure then jolted towards Da and tackled her to the floor. She gasped and tried to kick him off. The figure slapped her across her cheek. She couldn't breathe for a couple of seconds and choked. The figure rose up and pulled out a rope. Da Qiao closed her eyes and kicked and connected with the man's groin area.

When she heard him fall, she took off through one of the many doorways of her chambers. There were so many rooms to her chambers that she herself tended to get lost in them.

"_I'm screwed!" _Da thought in her mind. She would've gotten her fans, but they were getting buffed, one of the many presents from Ce.

She ran till she found a candle stick, through the candle off, and hid behind one of the doors. She thought that her breathing was too loud and tried to steady her breath. She closed her mouth to let the breathing come through her nose quietly. She listened carefully to see if she could hear the Black Figure. She heard the figure coming through the doorway and swung the candle with all her might. She connected with his sword she drew it back, and tried to strike again. The Figure caught her make shift weapon, and hit her back. She hit the wall with a thud, and took off running.

Da ran to the side of one of the many closet doors and tried to slow her breath. She could hear the figure approaching and tried to run, but she felt a hand come up around her waist and pull her back towards the wall. She managed to push the figure back and opened the closet door and slammed it in his face.

She ran through the doorway and about twenty feet in front of her was her door. The Figure tackled her to the hard ground, and Da took notice of all the sounds they made.

"_Maybe someone will hear!"_ Da thought.

She knew she had to hold on longer. The Figure pulled out the rope again, and Da twisted from under him, and took to the door. The door wouldn't open, and Da could heard the Figure approaching. She panicked as she looked for something to throw at him. She then had a bright idea.

"For some reason, I thought you would've gotten me by now!" she taunted.

"You've done it now!" he said before lunging at her. She quickly moved out of the way and he went crashing into the door. To her surprise, he didn't break the door down. He went staggering towards her, and as she tried to get away, he pulled her back and threw her into the wall.

"I may have let my lord enjoy you, but maybe I should get my pleasure first!" he threw her on the bed and tried to hold her down. They were interrupted by voices through the door. Da couldn't tell if they were Ce's or not, but when she tried to scream, the man clamped his hand over her mouth. She bit what she could get from his hand (and thanked the heavens that Xiao Qiao had taught her this!) and yelled at the top of her lungs.

"CE!!! CE!!! HELP!!! C…" the Figure slapped her, picked her up, and then went dashing towards the balcony. Da heard the door crashing down and thanked the gods. She tried to get out of the Figure's grasp, but he was too strong. All of the sudden, while someone pushed the Figure from behind, she went flying over the edge of the balcony. She clung onto the edge.

"_The only thing that is missing from this beautiful house is a stepping stool to this balcony! And the gods know that at a time like this, I need something I can't get!"_ Da said thinking of her dumb luck. She looked down and saw that she was at least five stories high. She panicked as her hands slowly began to slip. She tried to get footing, but without a stepping stool, all she caught was air.

Da screamed as her hands began to slip. Little by little they came and she held her breath. Her hands finally came off completely and she thought her end had come. She was surprised to find that she wasn't falling, and looked up. She looked up into the eyes of her beloved Sun Ce.

"I'm not losing you this early Da!" he said as he pulled her up.

As soon as she got her footing, she fell into his arms and let out one of the biggest signs.

"Are you ok?" he asked as soon as she calmed down. He pulled her face into the moonlight, and when he got one glimpse of her bruises, went to the assassin in detainment. He plucked the man from the guards and held him by his throat. Ce pulled his arm back ready to kill the assassin. He heard Pop, Zhou Yu, and Quan yell 'No Ce!' but that's not what stopped him. He felt a pair of nimble hands cover his fist. He turned around with his deadly gleam and looked straight into the eyes of Da Qiao. Everyone was silent as Da shook her head and pulled Ce's fist down.

Ce dropped the assassin and hugged Da. He wanted to comfort her and let her know that she wasn't alone. Da watched out of the corner of her eye as her attacker was put to death by Zhou Yu's blade.

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After countless questions from people and hugs from Xiao Qiao, Da finally got alone time with Ce. He shut the door that Xiao Qiao and Zhou Yu had just exited out of and sat beside Da on the bed. He put an arm around her and kissed her forehead. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Da finally spoke.

"I'm scared Ce."

"Why?"

"What if someone comes again?"

"Let me tell you, no one is getting one hand on you ever again!" he said looking into her eyes.

She let out a little sign and laid her head on a pillow. Sun Ce bent down and pulled out some ice from a nearby bowl. He then put the ice on the side of Da Qiao's face and she jumped from the coldness. Da knew there was something on Ce's mind and decided to ask.

"What are you thinking about, my lord?" she asked looking up at him.

He didn't answer for a few seconds. He pulled the ice from Da's face, put it in the bowl, and looked at the wall.

"I feel that you getting hurt is my entire fault. If I had just gotten out of bed a few minutes earlier and came in here, maybe I could've stopped him!" Ce said. Da Qiao could tell he was wrestling with his thoughts.

"Ce, you didn't know! I understand completely! I don't want you beating yourself up for something that was out of your control." She said not knowing if it would help or not.

"I just think I could've done something differently." He confessed.

Da was now sitting up, "Ce…love, you did the right thing. No matter what you think, I believe you did the right thing."

"Thanks Da." He pulled her close and held her. He then realized how beautiful she was with her nightgown. It was a simple nightgown, purple with brown trimmings. After a few minutes, he realized that she was asleep.

"_Wow. She looks like an angel even when she sleeps!_"

He lifted her up, pulled back the covers and laid her down. He was about to blow out the candle when he heard her speak.

"What?" he asked.

"Don't leave." She said.

"You need your sleep." He said taking her hand.

"I need you." she said as she tighten the grip on his hand.

He slipped into the empty space on the bed. She cuddled up to him and closed her eyes.

Ce realized he was enjoying this. Her in his arms away from danger. He realized that their breaths were at the same rhythm and closed his eyes. He inhaled her sent and before he knew it, he too fell asleep.

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Zhou Yu turned on his side and still couldn't sleep. He couldn't get one girl out of his mind no matter how hard he tried.

He went to the balcony to get some fresh air and thought.

"_I am just going through a stage. One where I can't sleep."_ He said trying to make up an excuse for how he was behaving for the last couple of weeks. But there was something he couldn't explain: every time he finally got to sleep, he had dreams of Xiao Qiao. The person who lived right across him and the one person that Zhou Yu couldn't stop thinking about no matter what…

When the reason came to him, he was shocked.

"No way, I can't be." But he was! He was truly, deeply, and madly in love with Xiao Qiao! The bubbly, cute, hyper, beautiful Xiao Qiao! He smiled at the thought of them together. He now realized why he was having these feelings! The not sleeping, love sick puppy feeling! Now all he had to do was tell her and…

Did she feel the same? Did she have the same burning passion for him as he did for her?

He thought of a way to tell her or find a way how, then it hit him…

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Xiao Qiao awoke the next morning and went to the bathing room to put on some daily clothes. She stopped when she realized there was a letter on the floor. She picked it up and turned it over to see who it was from. There was nothing. She opened it up and began to read:

_"To the beauty in the manor,_

_I hope what I say in this note will not offend you, because what I speak in this note, I would give anything to say in person._

_I find myself in a place where only you exist. You and I could be in a room where we are at opposite ends and a million people between us, and all I shall see is you. You stand out above all the other women in this world, and I feel as if your heart speaks to me. _

_To me, you are like the light in pure darkness. The only thing that calls to me in the night. The light that gives me hope for a better day. One where we are both together, in paradise. _

_You start a flame in me that I cannot control. I have seen countless bloodshed and many bodies dead on the field of battle, but one look from you, and I can fall to my knees! I cannot sleep because you occupy my thoughts. If I do dream, I dream about you and the way you put even your sister's beauty to shame. _

_I hope one day that I could say these things to you, and not be scared of what you think._

_Goodbye Miss Beauty of the Manor_

_Patiently waiting, _

_Your Standing Knight"_

Xiao couldn't believe what she had just read!

She hurried out the door and down the stairs to find Da Qiao. Someone had a crush on her, but who?

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Sun Ce awoke that morning and saw that Da Qiao wasn't in the bed with him. He watched as her lady's maid came in and went straight to the bathing room.

He got up and walked slowly towards the door. It was slightly open and the aroma of herbs filled the room. He peeked in and only saw two maids, not Da. The women's bathing area was different from the men's. It had one large bathtub and when the women would get up to bathe, maids would throw herbs or bath soak to purify the water. The tub was surrounded by a canopy that was tied up to one of the poles which were at every corner.

He slowly walked in and sat himself down at the side of the tub. The maids bowed and exited the room. Ce still couldn't see Da because she was in the water washing her hair. He waited for a few seconds and she came up, swished her hair back, then gasped at the sight of Ce. He couldn't see anything, but still… she was bathing.

"What are you doing in here, my lord?" she said as she propped her back in one of the corners.

"I awoke to find my Angel gone, and when I came in here, I found her."

Da blushed and looked down. Ce noticed her curves and how beautiful her skin was. He put his index finger to her face and slowly went down her cheek. She closed her eyes and breathed in the herbs. Between Ce and the herbs, she could almost fall asleep.

Ce noticed how much her bruises had healed overnight and was surprised to see that you couldn't even tell they were there.

"Are you hungry, Blossom?" he asked her pulling away.

"I haven't eaten all morning." She confessed.

"I'll go get us some breakfast and be back." He said getting up and walking out of the room. Da listened as she heard the door close behind Ce. She sank down into the warm water and tried to relax.

"_This feels SO good."_ Da said in her mind.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Xiao Qiao barging in and running straight to Da.

"Look what I got Da! A love letter! Read it! Read it!" Xiao said almost ready to jump out of her clothes.

Da began reading the letter and when she was finished, she had a pretty good idea of who it was from.

"Isn't it pretty?" Xiao said with her hands on her heart.

"It's beautiful Xiao! Who do you think it's from?"

"I don't know, but from someone who has a good poetry mind!"

"Go show it to Shang." Da said handing Xiao the note.

"That's a great idea!" Xiao said and in a flash, she was gone.

Da got out and dried herself off. She went into the bedroom and put on her daily clothes. She fixed her hair and walked over to the balcony, that only hours ago, she had her near death experience.

"Hope you like pancakes!" Ce said coming in with a big tray.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Xiao came running down the hallway towards Shang's room when she ran into someone. She backed up and looked at the person.

"Oh, hi Zhou! Guess what I got! A LOVE LETTER!" She thought something was wrong

when Zhou's eyes were locked on the note.

"That's very good Xiao. If you will excuse me…" Zhou Yu said trying to get away from Xiao.

"Oh, don't you want to read it?" Xiao Qiao said following Zhou. "It's so pretty!" Xiao said dreamily.

"I need to find Xiao, um, Ce." Zhou Yu said correcting himself.

"Oh, ok!" Xiao said turning around to go to Shang's chambers. When she went around the corner, Zhou Yu let out a big sign.

"_How am I ever going to tell her my feelings when all I am is a chicken?" he thought. "And where's CE!"_

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Sun Shang Xiang was putting weapons on her shelf when Xiao Qiao came running in.

"Look Shang! A love letter for me! Read it!" Xiao said handing it to Shang.

"Really?!" Shang started to read it and was astonished to read what someone thought of Xiao.

"Wow, Xiao! That's really cool!" Shang said handing it back to Xiao.

"I know! Who do you think it's from?" Xiao said. She wanted to know really badly!

"I don't know. It looks like Zhou Yu's writing. Maybe it's from Zhou Yu." Shang suggested. She had noticed some changes in his behavior lately.

"No way! He wouldn't write me something like this, we're just friends!" Xiao said waving her hand.

"Okay Xiao. Think what you want to think." Shang said turning back to the weapons. Xiao looked at Shang confused then silently exited the room.

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Xiao breathed in the fresh air from the garden and looked back at the note for the hundredth time. Who could've written this to her? She tried to rule Zhou Yu out, but she just couldn't. She kept replaying all the time and things they went together and when she remembered one, she knew it had to be Zhou Yu.

FLASHBACK…

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_"I LOVE these Zhou Yu! They're so pretty!" Xiao said when she and Yu were at a village shop. She was admiring the scarves on a rack. She put one on._

"_How do I look?" she said posing. _

"_More beautiful than your sister." He said staring at her and the way she moved._

"_You really think so?"_

"_Absolutely." He said. Xiao smiled. She thought that he was joking. She put the scarf back on the rack and went to the next shop._

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Xiao looked at the paper, "'you put even your sister's beauty to shame'" She read aloud.

The paper dropped out of her hands and her eyes got big.

"It's Zhou Yu!" she whispered.

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Yea! I finished it! Now, I need all of you opinions on this one! I worked through the night to finish this and I really want to please you on it. So PLEASE review!!!


	9. Chapter 9

_I'm BACK! And more creative than ever!_

_After untold MONTHS of no updates, you may have thought this was over, and it was! For awhile there, but generous people wanted me to start this back, so I did!_

_Have fun!_

**XXX**

The sun came through the curtains like water poured from a drainer. Her chestnut hair shined brightly with a healthy sparkle while her body lay motionless with sleep. The room was silent and the air had a sullen stiffness about it.

Her eyes fluttered open and she stretched and got out of bed. She poured hot water into a bowl and washed her face to get the sleep out. She donned on her day clothes and redid her hair before bouncing out of the room.

Giddiness welled within her as she started to walk down the hallway and the aromas of breakfast filled her nose.

Zhou Yu would be there. That was the cause of the way she felt. She smiled at the love letter she kept in her closet. She had hidden it so no palace gossip would go around. She finished a staircase and walked down another hallway before coming to the dinning hall. She looked around the hall. People were standing around talking like usual, but something was different. Xiao couldn't put her finger on it, but it was different.

"Umm," started someone behind her. She turned to find Shang Xiang. "If I were you, I'd go back to sleep and not wake up for a whole month!" She said angrily.

Xiao made a confused face. "What's wrong?"

Shang grabbed Xiao's shoulders and turned her to point at Zhou Yu. "_She's_ what's wrong!"

"Zhou Yu? He's not a-"

"No! Her!"

Xiao turned and saw a woman step from behind Zhou Yu. She was beautiful in a snooty type way. Her black hair was worn in loops from behind her head and the cleavage that this woman was showing made Xiao want to cover herself with a thick blanket. She was wearing a dark brown outfit that accentuated her necklace that she wore above her dangerously low top.

"Who's she?" Xiao asked.

"Chune Lee." Shang said with a half snort. "And the girl who's got her hands all over Ce's arm is her sister, Chen Lee. I don't like either of them."

"What are they doing here?" Xiao asked as she wanted to run over this Chune Lee girl with a million wild stallions.

"They said they wanted to see us, but when they said us, they meant Ce and Yu. You see, they were pretty hot and heavy a few years ago. Now? Ce has Da Qiao and he always says that he will. Yu? I hope he's smarter that to take her. Besides, I think that he's in love with you."

Xiao spun around. "Shang Xiang!"

Shang shrugged. "It's the truth! But I think we need to get Chen away from Ce before-"

"Good morning." Someone said behind the two girls. Shang gulped before she turned to face Da.

"Oh, hi, Da. What brings you down here?" Xiao asked innocently.

Da looked confused. "Breakfast, of course." She told them with a smile. "Have you guys seen Ce? I need to ask-"

"No!"

"Haven't seen him!"

They both said almost at the same time.

"Okay." Da said slowly as she began to back away. "I guess he's at the-Oh, there he is!" Da said as she began to walk towards him. She stopped when she realized that a woman's hand was on his shoulder and she was smiling into his eyes. She was pretty at only in different angles. Her brows looked like high snooty ones that looked as if they were constantly plucked.

Da turned around slowly to Shang and Xiao who were cringing. "Who's she?"

"One of Ce's old acquaintances, she's-" Shang was going to play it cool, but she couldn't even finish before Da was heading to the "happy couple".

"What do we do?" Xiao asked. She looked to see Yu but found that he and Chune were walking to Ce and Chen.

"We follow! I'm not missing this!" Shang grabbed Xiao's hand and ran to where Da would kill the flirty girl.

"Oh, Da!" Sun Jian approached his future daughter-in-law. "There's someone we want you to meet." He escorted her to Ce and the woman.

Da walked with him thinking that she'll kill Ce for this later and confused at why he was doing this. She mentally noted that Xiao and Shang were coming behind her until they caught up and walked beside her. They reached the crowd that had a new addition of Yu and another woman who looked a bit like the woman who was all up on Ce.

"Da, Xiao meet Chune and Chen." Jian introduced them. "Chune and Chen, This is Da Qiao, Ce's fiancé and this is Xiao Qiao, Da's younger sister."

The Lee sisters looked Da and Xiao up and down but Da's eyes were glued on Chen as Xiao went from one face to another before she noticed that Yu was watching her intently. She blushed slightly before looking down.

Finally, Da broke the silence. "Nice to meet you." She said with a strained smile that a three-year-old child would recognize instantly.

Chen scowled a bit. "Same." Was all she said.

Jian recognized what was happening and decided to sit the people down before someone got hurt.

While everyone was sitting, Da grabbed Shang and Xiao. "Why didn't you tell me that witches were in the building?"

Shang held the urge to bust out laughing, but Xiao half agreed with Da. A warning would've been nice.

Da Qiao turned to sit down but realized that Chen was in her place: beside Ce. She felt more anger rise as she saw Ce shrug at her.

Xiao looked at Yu and saw Chune sitting beside him. She looked at Da and they both sat beside Shang Xiang thinking that this was a one time thing.

_**--**_

Come to find out it wasn't.

The Lee sisters were scheduled to stay at the palace for as long as they wanted to. This made the Qiao sisters a little queasy and also mad. It started out with seating arrangements but more and more the Lee sisters were trying to move Da and Xiao out of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's lives.

Xiao Qiao and Da Qiao were watching Yu's and Ce's skirmish match together like usual. Ce and Yu were pretty tied and Yu made a good move and caught Ce off-guard. Xiao was about to yell "Go Zhou Yu" but someone on the other side of the ring yelled it. Xiao looked to see who it was and looked straight into the eyes of Chune Lee.

Xiao turned to Da who rolled her eyes and told Xiao not to worry about it.

As soon as the match was over, Da walked over to Ce and was about to congratulate him on the match he had won, when someone grabbed his arm. Da looked at Chen Lee who had the look on her face that Ce was hers and she was in the right place in being at his shoulder.

Da Qiao's emotions were about to make her slap the woman, but she stopped herself. I don't fight! She thought with a sign. There's no way that I will shame my future family by fighting an old friend!

She walked silently into the castle mentally cursing herself at her lack of courage.

_**--**_

Xiao Qiao ran down the halls in search ofZhou Yu. He was honored today for coming up with the best strategy that Sun Jian has ever seen with the exception of his father. She wanted to congratulate him first before a huge crowd started piling up on him.

She ran down a meadow that he usually took to get to his pavilion. She took a left to get to the back door to the meeting room. She knew he'd take it today because of all the congrats he would get.

She rounded the corner to get to it when she saw Zhou Yu, but he wasn't alone. Chune Lee was at his side.

"I just wanted to congratulate you on your genius idea this morning." Chune said through pouting lips. "And I wanted to be the first."

"That's nice." Yu said as he started to back away from her slightly so she wouldn't be offended.

Xiao turned when she heard the sound of people coming around the back. People would be there any second.

She turned around just in time to see Chune pull Yu's head down his head to her height and plant a kiss on his cheek. Xiao Qiao took a step back in surprise and broke a twig that got the two peoples attention.

Xiao looked at the ground like a little child interrupting something. "Congratulations, Lord Zhou Yu." She said before she turned around and ran to go back to the castle.

Zhou Yu was about to run after her when a crowd of people surrounded him and he watched in silent fury as she rounded the corner and disappeared. He wanted to kill Chune at this moment, but he knew that he should be the one to be killed for not telling her his feelings in person and not in some wimpy note!

Xiao Qiao slammed her door shut and ran into her privy chamber before slamming herself down on her bed and crying her eyes out.

"He likes her! He likes her!" Xiao cried before she got off her bed and ran into the sitting room and started a fire. She ran back into her dressing chamber and came back with several things: a piece of his robe from the time she fell from one of the palace swings, a scarf that he bought her, a few scrolls that she had written poems about him for the last few days, and last the love letter that brought her so much pain at the moment.

Tears fell from her eyes as she began to throw all of this into the fire. One by one, the flames devoured until she came to the dreaded love letter. She reread it before giving up completely and tossing it into the pits of the soaring flame along with her memories and her bleeding heart that she would stitch together on her own in time.

_**--**_

Da Qiao signed as she rose up from her bed that she had been laying on for the last two hours. She had dismissed her maids and ordered her guards to make sure that no one came in. Not even Sun Ce… ESPECIALLY not Sun Ce! She didn't feel like talking to him, or anyone, at the present.

She opened her double doors and began to walk down the hallways that lead to her favorite garden. She signed as she walked down the corridor hoping not to run into anyone that would start a conversation. She turned and smiled as she walked into the garden and the healing scents surrounded her. There was nothing better than to come into the garden when you had a problem.

Her problem? Ce. She hated to admit it, but she thought that he liked Chen more than herself. She could understand hanging out every now and again, but he was canceling THEIR dates to hang out with Chen. This was making her uneasy and she was also questioning her beliefs that their marriage would work. It wasn't really that far away, and this new mountain wasn't making her already on-the-edge nerves any better.

'Was this the god's way of telling me this is wrong?' she asked herself. 'Is this a sign that I shouldn't ignore?' She signed and walked a bit more before turning around and, deciding that she needed to, started to go back to her room.

She turned slightly when she thought that she heard voices. Her suspicions were confirmed as she heard Ce's deep voice come through a wall of bushes. She took a right to get to the opening of the bush wall and expected to see Yu and Ce talking, but wasn't really that surprised to find Chen there with him.

"You don't really like her do you?" Chen asked him as she fanned herself with a court fan.

"Who?" Ce asked her.

"Da Qiao." Chen said.

Da Qiao's heart started to race as she waited his answer, but before he could, Chen spoke up again.

"I've missed you for a long time, Ce." She moved closer to him. "I've wanted to see you for the last year. I just couldn't stand it anymore." She looked down.

"Uh-"

"I love you, Ce! I've loved you for a long time!"

Before Da realized it, It happened. The thing she's been dreading most that she thought would never happen, happened.

Chen pulled Ce down and kissed him!

Da gasped taking a step back. Both Chen and Ce looked at her.

"Da!" Ce yelled and started running towards her.

Da's head shook involuntary. She took a few steps back and turned her back to Ce. She couldn't breathe. Her legs felt like they were about to give out, her heart a million miles per second.

"Da." Ce turned her around.

"Who are you?!" Da yelled at him. It was more of an accusation than a question.

"I-" Ce started.

"I don't care just stay away from me! I don't know you anymore!"

"What do you mean? You can't mean that!" Ce said with the saddest most desperate look in his eyes.

"I do!" Tears welled within her eyes.

"But Da! It's me! Ce!"

"How do I know? You've changed so much the last few days!"

"Because I love you!"

Da's sad expression was replaced with anger. "That looked like love alright!" She yelled as she pointed to Chen. "The way you've been treating me the last few days and giving her everything I used to have is love in your eyes too, right?"

"Da! I haven't seen her in years! I just wanted to talk to her!"

"Then why did you kiss, Ce? That's no _friendship!" _Da yelled.

"She kissed me first!" Ce argued.

Da suddenly got sober. "How come I don't believe that?"

Ce was at a lost of words.

Da narrowed her eyes and shook her head she began to turn when Ce caught her.

"Da," he started, "we're going to get married! Why would-"

"Not anymore!" Da hissed. "If this is how you act to a woman when we're _scheduled _to get married, how will you act when we are married, Ce?" She asked him. "Will you push me out then, too? I am supposed to share you're bed then, will you push me out and put that woman in there then? You've pushed me out of everything else!"

"No!" Ce argued.

"Well I'm not waiting to find out!" Da pulled off her engagement ring and threw it at him. He flinched a little before picking it up. "You can give it to her!" Da pointed to Chen. With that, she stormed out of the garden ignoring the calls of her name that left Ce's lips.

_**--**_

The flames from the fire were exhausted. It had been for awhile. She just kept staring at it and staring at it thinking that the answer to her problems would magically jump out and make itself known.

She pulled out a little piece of paper that had been saved.

"_Your Standing Kn-"_

Was all it said. She signed and got up from the floor and walked to the balcony. The moon was very bright tonight, and this made her feel a percent better. A few birds flew along the moonlit sky and Xiao watched as the moon seemed to fly with them.

The trees swayed lazily as the wind blew, blowing escaping hairs from Xiao's face along with it. She smiled as a deer ran across the plateau. It stopped and looked back at the brush. Directly, two baby deer ran out from the safety of the overgrown grass and to their mother making Xiao giggle. She looked up at the stars and smiled as they lit up. This was just too beautiful of a night to be angry.

She pulled her hair down and made her way to her door before opening it and walking out. The blazers from the hallway gave the manor a classic, homey look.

She pulled her shoes off and smiled as her feet touched grass. She walked familiarly to a swing that had so many memories attached to it, and sat down and started to barely swing. She smiled as the wind blew, momentarily blowing away her troubles to a land where worrying was banned.

She breathed in the scents of a midnight garden and decided she'd worry tomorrow when her mind was back to normal and not floating on a cloud of possibility.

_**--**_

She lifted her tear-stained face from the pillow that had been soaked to the stitches with tears. She shook her beautiful head thinking that he wasn't worth doing this for.

A gust of wind came through the open balcony doors. She turned as if the balcony was calling her name and walked over slowly to it. The night was beautiful, there was no doubt about that! Too beautiful to be sad even. It had this drunken swaying feeling about it, making it almost hard to think about anything else.

She ran inside and pulled her clothes off before putting on a dress she thought she'd never wear. It was a deep red velvet dress that had no sleeves or anything, and it wrapped around her chest. The rest hugged tightly to her skin except her legs that had a high split down the sides that went all the way up to her waist. She hurried out of the room with only one thing on her mind: getting out!

She ran from the gates and pulled her hair down as she ran into the horse stables. She pulled out Sady and saddled her up before hopping on her and taking off for the river with white sand Ce had showed her.

She stopped as the moon winked at her and it reflected this captivating reflection in the river. She smiled before kicking Sady into running. She ran along the edge of the river looking for any reason why she wasn't crying like she wanted to. Something in the air made her forget her problems for the moment.

She held her arms out as her stallion ran, thinking that she felt so alive! So free! She ran and ran until she found a cave and, thoroughly exhausted, fell from Sady and went into a deep sleep.

_**--**_

The Lee sisters looked at each other with satisfied smiles. Cao Cao's plan was going perfectly.

**XXX**

_Well? What do you guys think? Do I need to keep going? Or stop?_


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys! Thanks for reviewing for my other chapter! I hope you guys enjoy this other one and I need reviews! It's like my motivation guys!**

**Enjoy!!!!!**

**XXX**

Sun Jian walked around the perimeter of his castle for a second time. The place needed new poles here and the bridge that led over the moat needed to be replaced soon. But most of all, his family needed the repairing.

It had been two days since Da had urged her father to cancel the marriage, and everything seemed to be chaotic. Da wasn't eating much, and when she would eat, it was her and her sister alone in their rooms. Speaking of Xiao, she wasn't talking to anyone with the exception of Da and Sun Shang Xiang.

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu weren't ones to carry a conversation with at the moment, due to the silence that the Qiao sisters had been treating them with. Sun Ce punched things and yells at himself for being an idiot and Zhou Yu doesn't speak much, only when asked a direct question.

On top of all of this, the Lee sisters weren't making this any better. They usually went around with the court ladies and spread rumors about the Qiaos that Jian had to clean up before the Qiaos heard of them. The Lee sisters usually told Ce and Yu that they deserved better than "those vain little girls" and made Ce and Yu furious beyond compare.

He signed. Just a few days ago, everything had been perfect.

"What are you thinking about, my husband?" Lady Wu asked Jian as she came up beside him.

"How our family is so chaotic."

"Ah." Lady Wu said as she looked ahead. "The manor has been in a state of chaos and it all started when the Lee sisters came back."

Jian signed. "I know. Our son's heart is broken because of them. Xiao and Da look like they are getting better, but I really don't know. Ce and Yu snap at people for no reason, The Qiaos haven't joined us in the dinning hall in three days and gossip is one of the most lethal weapons that is going around right now. Did I miss anything?" Jian asked his wife.

"Just the fact that you didn't blame Da for calling the wedding off. Ce was an idiot and needed to be punished. His actions are beyond overlooking. If you had done that when we were to be wed, I would've called it off too."

"For some reason, I have this feeling that you like Da." Jian raised an amused eyebrow.

"I do. Why wouldn't I? She's wise, patient, understanding, a lady and knows how to act like one. A charming woman with grace and knowledge and intelligence on how to use it. If she were to be Princess of Wu, she would endear to the people in a way only she can. She has already done it with the servants. They love her and look forward to serving her everyday. She can manage to settle a dispute among the people and force them to see the logic in front of them.

"As for her sister, the people give their hearts to her immediately and cannot refuse her. There is never a dull moment around her, and she knows how to bring a smile onto even the hardest of faces. Her beauty, rivaled only by her sister, is one of a youthful look, and also one that will never fade. The rumors about them being beautiful is an understatement, and I admire the girls for not letting the publicity to go to their heads. They detest them, actually.

"As you can see, there is a lot to admire about them really." Lady Wu informed her husband.

"And you would've loved to see Da on the throne with Ce, and Yu and Xiao by their sides and much as I?" Jian asked.

"I hoped deeply that that would've happened, but it was our son's doing, not Da's or the Lee sisters, that brought a downfall to that beautiful dream."

Jian nodded. "I expected Ce to act better."

"As did I. But if it was not meant to be, it was not meant to be. Don't try to bend faith, my husband. Destiny and karma will act in it's place."

Jian nodded. "My dear wife," he said as he took her hand and kissed it, "your wisdom of a woman is one I will never doubt."

Lady Wu smiled. "And I shall never doubt yours, my love."

"Which is why we make such a good pair, you and I." Jian said with a smile.

"You just keep telling yourself that, darling." The woman said with a smile.

**---**

Lu Xun's eyes looked through the window at the women he had come to love as sisters as one walked around the palace gardens with her sister, who was running after a butterfly. His eyes followed their every movement and his lips smiled as she scolded her sister about not watching where she was running.

As if she could feel his eyes on her, she looked up to the window and he quickly moved away till he was sure she looked away. He looked in time to see Shang Xiang come into the palace doors, suggest something to the Qiaos and see Xiao get excited about it and ask Da if it was OK. Da nodded and both Shang and Xiao ran out of the garden.

He scowled at his own "stalker" actions and pranced over to the room and flew out the door. It was dinnertime and the gong rang from the courtyard as he walked down the steps.

He started to curse the hallway for being so long, when he ran into something. Someone actually.

"Oh, Lady Da, are you hurt?" Xun asked as he helped Da off the floor, his bad mood totally forgotten.

"Oh, yes, I'm quite alright. I-" her words stopped as soon as she felt dizzy and she placed a hand on his shoulder for balance

"I'm sorry I ran into you, I wasn't-"

"It's quite alright, Lord Xun. I'm fine. If you will excuse me, I have to get ready for din-"

"Why look at you two in this hallway. All alone!" Chen Lee said as she strode over to Da and Lu Xun."I was going to dinner when I saw this! Oh, Da, I hope you and Ce have at least come to be friends. I really don't mind! He's mine anyway, and I know he won't cheat on me, so you two-"

"No, Chen, we have not." Da told her sternly. "I really don't like associating with cheaters." Da said with a smile.

Chen looked at Da hard. "Xun," she said without looking at him, "I need to talk with Da, can you excuse us?"

Xun looked unsure. "I really don't think-"

"Nonsense, Lord Lu Xun!" Da said "Let her talk to me. It's just petty woman stuff."

"But I-"

"GO!!!" both Da and Chen shouted at him. He looked at the two of them unsurely before leaving the hallway.

Chen and Da glared at each other for a moment before Chen spoke. "You just need to act like a lady."

Da raised her eyebrows. "Actually, Chen, I think the moral 'take some of your own medicine' would do justice here."

"I act like a lady all the time!"

"Excuse me?" Da asked in a shocked tone. "As far as I was concerned, putting your hands on an already claimed man was for whores only. Well, then again, you would fit the part." Da said with a shrug.

Chen gasped. "Take that back!" She hissed.

"I will do no such thing!" Da said with a tone to match Chen's.

"Then I will have to make you!"

"Go ahead and try, princess!" Da told her as she took a step toward her. "I was raised not to bow to anyone I wouldn't consider my equal, and I was taught the ways of fighting, too." Da took another step towards her. "If you think that some threat will scare me off, you are dead wrong, lady." Da took another step. "You may be taller than me, and can reach eye level with Ce, but right now, with the way I'm feeling, you would not want to mess with me!" Da took another step. "Nothing would make me more happy than to silence your insignificant tongue right now, but I was raised like a lady and will act like one!"

Da was inches from Chen's face, "But if I have to, I will set you straight! I will act like a lady, but so help me, if you push my buttons one more time, I will make sure that no man will want your face by the time I'm through with you!"

Chen remained silent for a few seconds, and Da moved away.

She started to walk down the hallway when Chen called something behind her. "He was always mine!"

Da turned around. "No." she said after a moment. "He was mine… for awhile."

**---**

Zhou Yu looked at his plate of food. He didn't feel like eating. In actuality, he wanted to go to his room till a certain beautiful, bubbly, and hyper lady talked to him again.

He was just about to get up and excuse himself before a scent hit him and hit him hard. Peaches. He looked up anxiously about him and his eyes went frantic as he searched for her. Finally, he found her just now sitting by Shang Xiang, her usual ponytail bobbing up and down as she talked to Sun Jian.

He saw her eyes glance back to him before resting on the plate before her. He watched as she ate and smiled as some juice dropped onto her shirt.

Watching this, made him realize how much he missed her. Her cute, little nose. Her rosy lips, and her unbeatable personality. All in all, to him, she was perfect.

A grunt came from beside him and he looked over to his sworn brother.

"You're smiling." Ce said in his now usual flat tone.

"Hmm." Yu said as his eyes went back to the cutie beside Shang.

"If you keep staring, you will burn a hole in her."

"Hmm."

"He's staring at you!" Shang told Xiao.

"What kinda stare is it?" Xiao asked.

"He's smiling."

"What?"

"I'm serious! Look!" Shang insisted.

"No! He'll think that I like him!"

"Don't you?"

"I don't know!"

"You should!"

"Since when are you an expert on love?"

"Just look! I'm serious!"

"I'm not going to look!"

"Da's here." Shang said.

Xiao looked from her plate and smiled at her sister. Da looked at the empty seat beside Xiao before going to Sun Jian and Lady Wu.

"Uh oh," Xiao said.

"What?" Shang asked.

"Da's mad."

"At what?"

"I don't know."

"My lord," Da said as she bowed in front of Jian."I realize that Lady Sun Shang has given me permission to rejoin the dinning hall, but I wanted your permission as well."

"Of course, Da. We are more that happy to have you back." Sun Jian said as Lady Wu nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, my lord. It feels good to be back." Da said with a smile.

"Just take you a seat anywhere." Lady Wu told her.

"Thank you." Da took a seat beside Xiao, ultimately blocking her from Yu's view, but also putting herself directly in front of Ce's.

"What's wrong?" Xiao asked.

"I will tell you both after dinner."

"Now you will burn a hole in her." Yu told Ce as his friend lay motionless with a spare noodle hanging out of his mouth.

Ce sucked the noodle into his mouth, and continued to stare at Da. "I think that the outer coating of protection that she's built up will keep that possibility from ever happening."

Just then, the doors opened again and the Lee sisters strode in.

"You are in my seat." Chune Lee told Xiao.

"Then find another one." Xiao said as she shrugged Chune's remark off.

"There are no other ones!' Chen hissed.

Da stood up. "Don't ever talk to my sister like that again."

Chen shut up instantly.

Da spoke, breaking the momentary silence. "I am going to enjoy my meal with my sister. If there are any complaints, I will be happy to make myself clear… and my sister will sit where she pleases. As far as I'm concerned, she was there first."

Da sat down and began to eat her meatbun while Chune stared at her sister in disbelief.

"You are going to let her talk to you like that?" Chune asked her.

When Chen didn't answer, Lady Wu spoke: "Chune, Chen, I will have some of the servants pull up chairs at the end of the table if you like, but the Qiao's will stay where they are."

Da giggled.

At that, Chune shrugged. "That's fine. I see how it is. I will accept a chair at the end, as will my sister, thank you."

As soon as the Lee sisters were gone, Shang and Xiao cracked up into giggles.

"God, Da! You practically had Chen scared outta her pants!" Shang said.

"We can still hear you from down here!" Chune called to Shang.

"Why didn't you tell me that?" Shang asked. "I would've thought of something more insulting."

"Shang Xiang!!!" Lady Wu gasped. "Control yourself!"

"…okay…" Shang said disappointedly.

Lady Wu winked at Da, and Da blushed.

"Did you say something to Chen?" Xiao asked her. She was relieved to be out of Yu's sight.

"I might have." Da said in a dismissive tone.

"What did you say?" Shang asked and put down her food.

"Something around the lines of 'don't make me mad.'" Da smiled at Xiao. "It shut her up."

"Grr." Lu Xun slammed his head in his hands.

"Is there something wrong, Lu Xun?" Zhou Yu asked his pupil.

"The whole thing between Chen and Lady Da is my fault!"

Ce raised his eyebrows. "Whaddya mean?"

Xun raised up. "I was walking to the dinning hall and I accedently ran into Lady Da. Just as I was helping her up and saying 'sorry', Chen Lee walked up and said: 'well look at you two all alone.' then she said that she hoped you and Lady Da were friends, and that you were hers and that you'd never cheat on her."

Ce's face turned into a disgusting snarl.

Yu looked at his friend, then to Xun. "Then what?"

"Well, Lady Da didn't like that, and she said that you guys haven't and that she doesn't converse with cheaters."

A grunt came from Ce.

"And?" Yu asked.

"Then Chen told me to leave."

Ce's eyes went wide. "You didn't."

Xun signed. "Normally, I wouldn't have, but they both told me to go, and, Lord Sun Ce, you should've seen the look in their eyes. It would've scared even the most bravest of tigers!"

"Arr!" Ce put his head in his hands. "Did you hear what was said between the two?"

"No, my lord. I didn't think it wise to stay and listen. Just think about the pain that would cause."

Ce looked up. "Da wouldn't have been hurt."

"Not to either of them, lord, but to me."

Ce and Yu threw their heads back laughing, and the dinning hall became quiet, shocked that the cold demenor that the guys have had over the last few days vanish so quickly when the Qiao sisters came back.

Ce wiped a tear from his eye and looked at Da without even realizing what he was doing.

His smile started to turn into a surprised look as her saw her smiling at him. He smiled back and, as if she just now found out what she was doing, her smile vanished and she looked at her plate before deciding to get up and leave the room.

Ce felt eyes on him, but he continued to stare at the door that his life just walked out of.

**---**

Zhou Yu walked the palace gardens later on that night, thinking about Xiao and how his life was.

The castle seemed to be in a state of turmoil and the court ladies seemed to be in heaven. There was never a peaceful moment anymore, and the castle seemed like a battlefield: a constant state of never-ending chaos.

The moon was pulled under a blanket of clouds and Yu couldn't see anymore than five feet in front of him. He smiled as he saw the tree that held the swing that he and Xiao had so many memories at. He remembered the day she fell out and scraped her knee, and had a fit about everyone treating her like a baby.

The wind blew and a very familiar scent of peaches wrapped him in a lover's caress and held him to the ground he was standing on. The scent made his body tingle and his heart ached with a sense of longing.

The wind stopped and Yu finally got ahold of himself. He rounded the tree and the moon shined on and angel.

Her face leaned against one of the tall bamboo ropes that held the swing in place, and her eyes were closed. Her hands held tightly to the rope and her legs were crossed at her ankles as she swayed with the wind. Her hair was down and she was wearing a white skirt and a sleeveless shirt, no doubt to cope with the summer weather.

He stayed in one spot, too mesmerized to move.

Her eyes fluttered open and she stared at him for a moment before coming to.

She jumped from the swing, "What do you want?"

"I-I…" Words failed him at the moment, as the moon came down on her and gave her this angelic, translucent look. He was staring in awe.

"What are you staring at?" She demanded from him.

"I-I… Well…" Okay, his tongue wasn't going to move.

"Stop staring at me!!!" She yelled at him.

He smiled as her nose wrinkled, as it always did when she was mad.

This made her confused.

"Xiao," he said as he regained himself, "we need to talk."

She crossed her arms. "I don't want to talk to you."

"Just give me five minutes." he pleaded.

She chewed on the side of her mouth and pondered. "Okay, move your tongue and make words come out, but remember: FIVE MINUTES!!!"

"Xiao, what happened between Chune and me, I didn't mean for you, or want you rather, to see that. I was walking down the back road so I could escape the 'congrats' team and she pretty much pushed herself on me."

Xiao didn't say anything, but looked at the ground.

"I didn't want you to see something like that. I didn't even want her there, she just showed up and I didn't mean for you to get hurt-"

"Oh, don't gimme that!"

"What?"

"I'm not upset because of her, I'm upset because you didn't come after me!"

Now Yu was confused. "What?"

"You know, I don't get you! One day, you write me this very romantic love letter, and the next, you're kissing some girl."

"I told you, I didn't plan it."

"But you didn't come back for me and tell me this then instead of having to do it now! If you wanted to make things straight, you would've done it then!"

"Xiao, I-"

"Your five minutes are up!"

She started to storm to the castle opening.

"Xiao," He called after her. "Wait!!!"

She didn't stop.

"Xiao, I-"

She wasn't stopping.

He exhaled deeply and his heart pounded with what he was about to say:

"XIAO, I LOVE YOU!!!"

She stopped, Yu's heart stopped, the wind stopped, and there was silence.

She turned hesitantly. "W-what?" She asked, barely above a whisper.

"It's true! I do! I am impossibly, hopelessly, needless to say, head-over-heels in love with you, Xiao Qiao. You are the best woman I have ever met, and every day, I can't help but realize how much you effect my life! I see what other women do and I can't help but go 'Xiao would've done that better, Xiao can do that!' and it's been driving me crazy."

He looked at her. "This distance between us is killing me. I can't eat, or sleep, or think. My focus has been on you and how to win you back!" He took a step towards her. "I can't live without you, Xiao. Please talk to me."

There was silence that only lasted seconds, but seemed like years to Yu. She looked at the ground and began walking towards him.

Finally, she spoke. "Why didn't you tell me this before."

He looked down, embarrassed. "I wasn't man enough to."

"And Chune?"

"I didn't mean for that to happen. I would never hurt you intentionally. I could never do that."

She was a few steps away from him now and said, he had to strain his hears to hear, "What if I was in love with you, too?"

His head bolted up and saw the tears in her eyes. "You love me?"

She hesitated, but nodded her head.

He ran over to her, and with the biggest grin on his face, scooped her up and spun her around.

"So you are going to talk to me?"

She laughed. "Yep! Just don't so that again!"

"I promise I won't!"

And before she had any realization of what was happening, he put her down and his lips met hers.

Her heart raced, and she froze for a second. As if feeling her tension, Yu let go so he could see her face.

"I'm sorry, Xiao, I didn't mean anything bad."

Her hand went to her lips for a minute before looking back up at him. And she smiled.

She stood up on her tippie-toes, and kissed him right back.

Lee sisters be dammed!

And the next time Chune tried to hit on Xiao's man, Xiao vowed that she was going to give Chune what was coming to her!

**XXX**

**How was it? Has my writing gotten any better? Hope so! Leave a review if you please!**


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